


Extinction

by PhantomPhan16, VicenteValtieri



Series: Role Play Fanfiction [18]
Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Extinction, M/M, Peace, War ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:55:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25552405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomPhan16/pseuds/PhantomPhan16, https://archiveofourown.org/users/VicenteValtieri/pseuds/VicenteValtieri
Summary: EXTINCTION SITUATION.With 17 members and counting of the cybertronian species left, things look dire for the transformers. Will a new neutral save or doom them all?
Relationships: Optimus Prime/Starscream, Shockwave/OC
Series: Role Play Fanfiction [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/559061
Kudos: 8





	Extinction

Optimus watched the monitors, but his thoughts were far, far away. It had been another long day. The Matrix pulsed in his chassis and, with weary spark, Optimus connected with its information pulses. It gave him a brief, depressing update on the state of the Cybertronian race:  
Total number of Cybertronians remaining: 18. There was a brief pulse and it updated: 17. Number of Carriers: 7. The sparkless, mindless drones Megatron employed as his army didn’t count in the Matrix. They could not reproduce, were not truly alive, and had no free will.   
Optimus wondered who the casualty had been as the Matrix’s pulses grew softer. There was a crack and Optimus looked down at his servo in surprise. He’d clenched it so hard one of the joints cracked and was sending damage reports to his processor. He let it ache.  
The monitors flickered and an alert went off. Optimus turned back and saw the distinct signal of a Cybertronian lifepod, coming in to land on Earth. “Autobots! Prepare to roll out!”   
The Deceptions were also mobilizing to capture the pod. Starscream, Shockwave, Soundwave, and Megatron himself went out after it.  
“Shoot to injure and incapacitate.” Optimus ordered, the number of Carriers – only one an Autobot, as far as he knew – echoing in his mind as he led the charge. Of course, Megatron would put his own Carriers in danger. The insane mech would end them all.  
Unless Optimus ended him first.  
At this rate he didn't have much of a choice. The pod touched down gently between them.  
Optimus didn't want this mech - neutral from the signal - to walk out into a firefight, but it seemed they had no choice. He went straight for Megatron and Shockwave while the rest of his team warded off the drones, Starscream and Soundwave.  
It was chaotic, desperate. Every fight was more and more desperate.

He heard Arcee cry out and jerked, letting Megatron get one of his servos free. He would pay for the mistake, but if Arcee - No, he couldn't think like that. She had Bulkhead with her. He had to focus. The pod was opening.

Megatron's free servo landed a crushing blow into Optimus' abdomen and launched the off-balance Prime away. Shockwave was reaching the pod as it opened.

Optimus didn't dare try and fire on the scientist, so he buried his ion cannon in Megatron's side and pulled the trigger as hard as he could, not caring that the blast would backfire into his weapon.

The blast tore through the warlord and his weapon, damaging Optimus' servo as well.

Megatron roared in pain and Optimus kicked him off, struggling to his pedes to dash at the pod.

Shockwave leaped out of the way, a blue mech in his arms. He looked to still be under the effects of stasis.

Soundwave summoned a groundbridge close to Shockwave and Optimus charged after the mech, but he could already tell he was going to lose this impromptu race. He used the only weapon he had left, words: "Seventeen Cybertronians remain in this galaxy, Shockwave! I will not allow a single one to be offlined while I still vent!"

The Deceptions were gone with the unknown mech, and Optimus sighed. He could only hope nothing would happen to that mech.

Optimus clenched his servo briefly, then turned back to return to base for repairs with his men. No casualties. Thank Primus.

The blue mech woke in the medbay of the Nemisis. He sat up and looked around. "Where am I?"

"Currently, in the presence of the doctor." Knockout, the bright, red Decepticon Medic told him. "Now settle down, I'm trying to buff out these scratches."

"And you are...?" He didn't look too impressed by Knockout.

"Knockout." Starscream stepped into the room. "What is the status of the neutral?"  
"He's fine, mostly. These scratches are a crime, though."

Cas saw the brand and flared at wings, leaping away. "Of all the fragging places to end up. Decepticons. Of course. Why the frag not?"

"Hey, calm down before you dent your paint! I just fixed that!" Knockout whined.  
"Calm yourself, weakling, at the moment you are not in danger." Starscream flicked his wings.

"Weakling? That's rich. Which way is out?"

"Now settle down there. There's no where to go anyway right now." Knockout said. "My medbay is the best place on the planet for an injured mech."

"I don't care where I go, I just don't intend to say here with you. Door. Now."

"Sorry, dear, your finish is amazing, but I simply can't let you run off. Megatron's orders, and I don't want to slag him off." Knockout looked over at Starscream. "He's mostly healed, herr commandant."  
"Excellent. Then I will report to Lord Megatron that the neutral is ready to be interrogated."

"Megatron? Frag that." He rammed Starscream, knocking the SIC to the ground, and bolted out the door that the Seeker had been blocking.

"After him!" Starscream cried out and Cas transformed, becoming a jet and speeding down the halls, looking for an exit. "Sound the alarm!"

He rounded a corner and flattened Shockwave. "Omf! Sorry, handsome, but gotta go!" He took off again leaving a very confused Shockwave.

"Get up, you useless cyclops!" Starscream shrieked, transforming and diving after the other flier.  
"...Handsome?" Shockwave asked the empty corridor.

Starscream cursed. The blue flier was fast, he'd give him that. He was also getting more aggitated. If he didn't find the exit soon he might just make his own.

He opened a comm line. "Soundwave. We have a problem. Our guest is loose and is fleeing through the Nemesis."

Ahead Cas was frantically trying to find a way out.

"Land, now before I do more than scratch your paintjob!" Starscream screeched behind him.

"Not a chance, fragger!"

Starscream fired, missing Cas by an inch, with a low level shot. "That is your last warning!"

"Never!"

Starscream sighed and opened full fire, aiming for Cas's thrusters.

The other dodged at first but finally was hit and went down.

Starscream landed beside him and aimed a null ray.

"Why can't you fraggers just leave me be? Didn't you do enough enough to be me when you slaughtered other Neutrals?"

"It's been almost 2 million vorns since then." Starscream hissed.

"Well for me it wasn't even a vorn!"

"And I don't have a slagging choice in the matter! You're a prisoner, this is the Nemesis, and Megatron wants to talk to you, so you're talking to Megatron!"

He was kicked with a force he didn't think the blue mech had in his frame, flying backward. Cas struggled back up, only to be grabbed by Megatron himself.

The massive, silver mech held Cas off the floor, at arms length. "As usual, Starscream your incompetence astounds me. You cannot even keep a simple neutral under control."

Cas snarled, bent himself up, and kicked Megatron square in the faceplates. That was no Seeker blow but the blow of an angry Convoy.

Megatron recovered himself admirably quickly and slammed Cas directly into a wall. "Perhaps there is something to you after all." He growled.

The Triple snarled back at him.

"Who are you, neutral?" Megatron growled.

"... Casarasi."

"Casarasi." Megatron examined him. "You're a Carrier."

Cas tried to wriggle away from him. "Gets your servos off me, creep!"

"Starscream, bring a pair of stasis cuffs."

Starscream was on the floor still, a little stunned. "STARSCREAM! Cuffs!" Megatron bellowed.  
The Seeker jumped, leapt to his pedes, and ran to get a pair.

Cas hissed and growled to no avail.

"I will - Take him to the brig, my Lord." Starscream clasped the cuffs on him, clearly shaken. "Until you decide what to do with him."

"Just don't let him loose this time, Starscream, or you will be very sorry.

"Yes, my Lord." Starscream began dragging at Cas, pulling him along the corridors and into a lift.

The blue was silent now, radiating anger.

Starscream grabbed his helm and twisted his faceplates to him, staring straight into his optics. "Who were your creators?" He demanded.

"Dead so it doesn't matter." "Who?!" "... Nightwish and Orion Pax."

Starscream in-vented harshly, and then pulled the triple onto a strut-crushing hug.

He was rammed into the lift wall for his trouble. "Let go of me, fragger!"

"Rasi, stop - ! Rasi!" Starscream fumbled in his subspace, pulling out a medallion. "It's all right - It's me!"

Cas paused and stared at it. "You.... Carrier?" "It's me, baby." Cas headbutted him. "Agh! Rasi, sto-" "You son of a glitch! How could you?!"

"I had to! I had no choice!" Starscream lifted his servos to protect himself.

"No choice?! NO CHOICE?! There's always a choice, but to follow that monster... to help him slaughter... How dare you use that nickname now?! How dare you try claim me?!"

Starscream's optics flashed dangerously. "I joined to save you! When the Liberty was going to leave, it was attacked - and you were knocked unconscious. I was trying to get you into a stasis pod and evacuate you when he caught me!" Starscream snapped.

Cas growled. "Know this; I will not give Megatron anything. I will not cooperate. I *will* get out of here." He sneered at the brand his Carrier wore. "He's pathetic, and so are all of you, for not realizing what this war has cost. He's one mech, and one is often toppled by many."

Starscream's optics filled with despair and Cas stepped away from him, radiating anger and resentment. The Seeker led him to a cell in the brig, but didn't push him in. "...If you get to the aft of the shift, there are a series of drop tunnels for bombs. They're not guarded or used." He unlocked the cuffs. "...Find energon, shelter, and stay out of trouble. It shouldn't be too hard. This planet has a wealth of resources."

Cas whipped around and grabbed him. "Guess we better make sure it's believable I overpowered you."

Starscream shuttered his optics and waited to be hit, unresisting.

Cas was hit instead and knocked into the brig.

The Seeker snapped open his optics and whirled, powering up a null ray.

"Don't even think about firing, you fool," Megatron snarled, "I see you were overpowered, again."

Starscream hissed to himself. "...Yes, Lord Megatron. He is... very strong."

"That's what you get for uncuffing him, fool.:

"They were pinching him." Starscream stated stiffly, flashing a look back at Cas over his shoulder.

"That doesn't matter. He is our prisoner, Starsceam."

"...Yes, Lord Megatron." Starscream couldn't get slagged before he helped Cas out of the brig.

"Begone. I will interrogate him alone."

Starscream's wings stiffened and he obeyed, reluctantly.

Cas squared himself when Megatron came in.

Megatron sealed the door before he could break for it and Cas crouched in a defensive position as the warlord stared him down.

"What do you want?" the Triple growled.

"The Autobot resistance is all but crushed. Almost all remaining Cybertronians are under my command. You will join them." He didn't even give an option for death.

Cas scoffed. "Keep. Dreaming."

"Shockwave." Megatron commanded the scientist. "We'll need that submission collar after all."

Cas didn't know what that was, but he knew it wasn't good.

The purple tank he'd run over came down with a wicked-looking piece of work clearly designed to go around a mech's neck. "Are you certain, Lord Megatron? It is still under testing."  
"Put it on him. He will serve for a test subject."

Cas hissed, ready to fight.

Shockwave lifted the device. "This need not be unpleasant. Do not resist."

"You're all disgusting."

Shockwave approached with the collar lifted.  
Megatron heated his cannon, a clear threat.

Cas had no choice but to let Shockwave put it on him.

Shockwave snapped the device on. "He should be more compliant now, Lord Megatron."  
Megatron nodded. "Casarasi. Jump."

"Seriously?"

"Are you refusing?" Megatron narrowed his optics. "Jump. Now."

He remained defiant.

A shock went through the collar suddenly, a prolonged burst of unparalleled agony.

To his credit Cas didn't fall even as he screamed.

"Casarasi. Jump." Megatron ordered a second time as the pain faded.

He growled but gave the smallest hop he could.

"Clearly, it's effectiveness depends on the subject's pain tolerance." Shockwave told Megatron.  
"Take him and test the collar as you see fit. When you're confident, deliver him to me." Megatron turned and left. "I have a plan for him."

"Yes, my lord." Cas glared at Shockwave.

"Follow me. Obey and you will not be harmed. It would not be logical."

The Triple growled but followed him. He would bide his time for now.

Shockwave led him to a laboratory and began taking scans. "In the corridor, why did you call me that?" He asked as he worked, as if the question was bothering him for a long time.

"What? Handsome?"

"Yes. It is an illogical statement."

"You are handsome, or you were and can be again. I see it in your face."

Shockwave paused at his work. "Such things are illogical. I no longer care for them."

"Well I think you're handsome, and I'm sorry you don't feel anymore." When was the last time someone felt sympathy instead of pity?"

Shockwave forced his hands to continue typing. "It is not relevant." He was working on a formula for synthetic energon. A means to make energon from concentrated, liquid energy plasma - the kind they used to power ships and weaponry. There was a conversion, he knew it.

"Wow. I can see your tension from here. When was the last time you relaxed?"

"Relaxation in a war is not an optimal use of time." Shockwave replied automatically.

"War is not an optimal use of time. Look what's happened. Our race is nearly extinct."

Shockwave stopped again. "17 members of the Cybertronian race are left in this galaxy." He murmured to himself, considering the energon formulas in front of him with an unseeing optic.

"What? That few? I... I thought there were more than... oh Primus.... What's wrong with all of you?! Why the frag did you keep fighting?!"

"Lord Megatron leads the Decepticons and wishes to continue until the legacy of the Primes is wiped out. At that time, we will consider the future of our race."

"What future?! You'll just keep killing more of us for some madmech?!"

"Correction: The drones will kill for Lord Megatron. The Decepticons have not lost an officer in many millennia since I invented them."

"The Autobots are Cybertronian too. Why do their lives mean less? Because they made a different choice? Like the Neutrals that were slaughtered?"

"Aside from the femme Arcee, the Autobots do not have vital mechs for reconstruction." Shockwave felt his own statements ring hollow.

"They are still living mechs!"

"I require quiet to continue my work." Shockwave stared at his energon formula, doing calculations. The Earth was full of Energon, more than enough for the remaining mechs to outlive their life expectancy and keep the Nemesis in order.

"Ugh." Cas had nothing to do now, so he just... waited.

Starscream entered the laboratory later with cubes of energon in servo.  
"Starscream, I stated many times that I do not wish to be interrupted." Shockwave turned. "Your disregard for my preferences is not unexpected, but is illogical."

"I brought energon. You forgot some fuel again."

"You have never shown concern for my well-being before. But I am not ungrateful." Shockwave took one of the cubes.

Starscream brought the other to Cas. "Here. You'll need your strength." "Thanks," Cas said gruffly, keeping up with appearances.

Starscream examined the collar's locking mechanism. "A biological catch?"  
"Indeed. Only I can open it." Shockwave stated from his computer. "It is impossible to remove otherwise."

The blue triple growled but began drinking his energon.

Starscream examined the collar for as long as possible without arousing suspicion. "Do you have an inkling of Megatron's plans for him, Shockwave?"

"I do not. Why the interest?"

"No particular reason." Starscream stepped back and started out the door.

"Is anyone here sane?" Cas asked.

Starscream paused. "...Everyone has their own reasons for continuing to fight. For most of us, it's to avoid being slagged or losing what little we still have." Then, he was gone.

"Well maybe time's time to join with the ones who have the same reasons."

"It would be necessary to remove Lord Megatron to end the war. Such a feat would be nearly impossible. Trying is illogical."

"The time for logic passed a long damn time ago."

"I do not wish to be offlined attempting a futile task."

"So more mechs will die simply for the long dead legacy and the name Prime?"

"They could always surrender."

"And you honestly think Megatron would spare any of them?"

"The Femme Arcee still has a capture order on her helm. Though she is the only one."

"This can't go on. More mechs can't be killed just because Megatron says so."

"Multiple Sire mechs are not strictly necessary for repopulation." Shockwave pointed out.

"... Are you slagged? Yes they are. Sires are as vital to diverse lines as Carriers are!"

"For genetic diversity. Perhaps, but not for ultimate survival. This planet is not like Cybertron. The humans here pose no threat."

The blue mech just sighed and finally set about find a spot to curl up and rest. It was all he could do at the moment.

Starscream worried over Cas almost the whole rest of the day. He returned as soon as he dared, more energon in servo, not wanting to make Shockwave suspicious. What he returned to shocked him. Shockwave had put a fist through his own datastation’s monitor, punching out the screen and now seemed to be in the midst of a crisis of some kind. 

Cas was trying to get through the tank, but Shockwave wasn't responding to him.

"What happened?" Starscream asked, putting the cubes down.  
"He was working and then suddenly he stopped and started punching the computer." Cas told him, worried. "Now he won't say anything."  
"Shockwave? Shockwave, this is your Commander. What happened, soldier?" Starscream put on an authoritative tone.  
Shockwave responded most illogically. "Shove your orders up your aft, Starscream."

The Seeker was stunned into silence. What just happened?

"None of it matters. Nothing matters anymore. We're never going to retake Cybertron, Cybertron won't be revived, and the Cybertronian race is going to be permanently diminished. Even if we win."

Cas came in again. "Diminished, but not gone. Not if we stop this. The only one who wants to keep fighting and killing is Megatron, but we don't have to let him."

"Help us, Shockwave." Starscream pounced. "No one wants to fight any longer, but if we combine our firepower - it might just be enough."

"Seventeen..." Shockwave's optic narrowed.

"Megatron's strong, but even he isn't that strong, Shockwave."

Shockwave got to his pedes and went to a different, not destroyed console. "Starscream, you and Casarasi should remain here, where it's safe. The drones and I should be capable of ending Megatron on our own."

"Shockwave..." Even Cas was surprised by this.

"You are both Carriers. We cannot risk losing either of you." Shockwave reminded them. "It would not be logical to bring you into what may still be a suicide mission."

"Be careful. I'm rooting for you, handsome," Cas said.

"...Again, you are a very illogical mech." Shockwave applied his thumb to the submission collar and it opened, falling off. "I must go."

Cas pecked him on the cheek. "Good luck."

"Something I should know?" Starscream asked as Shockwave left. "...Or are you going to hit me again?"

"... I don't know. Something about him, I guess."

"Well, he was a Senator. Before everything went to Hell." Starscream stepped closer. "Cas... If I had had any choice at all, I wouldn't have left you adrift. I promise you. I hope you can forgive me one day."

"... Maybe one day,... Carrier."

"...Let's go to the medbay. No matter what happens, I can't leave Knockout and Breakdown behind. They're... Friends."

"We shouldn't leave any of them behind if we can help it."

"Soundwave may not want to be saved - " Starscream almost ran into the spy mech as he opened the door to Shockwave's lab. "...Scrap."

"Soundwave." Behind him Cas tensed, ready if they had to fight.

"Soundwave: Aware of the situation. Soundwave: Will not hinder Starscream or Shockwave."

"You won't? Thank you. We should gather the others to prepare to leave."

"Soundwave: Has ordered Knockout and Breakdown to the shuttlebay. However, should Shockwave's attempt succeed, flight will not be necessary."

They gathered all remaining Decepticons and waited in the shuttlebay.

Soundwave monitored the cameras, monitoring Shockwave's struggle with Megatron. The drones were dying by the dozen.

"Come on, Shockwave," Starscream murmured.

Shockwave had held back for the most part, pummelling Megatron from afar, sacrificing his creations to tire the behemoth out. But Starscream's spark was in his mouth and he'd seen the warlord take on longer odds.

At last Megatron went down. No drones were left, and Shockwave would need some medical attention.

"Knockout, with me." Starscream left the hangar, the rest of them slowly following.

"I don't think so. He'll fuss more over Shockwave's finish," Cas said, following his Carrier.

"Just because I'm an artist as well as a doctor does not make me entirely useless." Knockout stated as he and Soundwave came behind them, followed by Breakdown. The last six Decepticons clustered around Shockwave and Megatron.

Cas began immediately inspecting the damage done to Shockwave.

Shockwave's arm and faceplates sparked threateningly. "...Still... Handsome?"

Cas smiled. "Yep. Don't worry, I'll fix you up in no time."

"...Definitely dead." Starscream said as he stood over Megatron's chassis.  
"Confirmed. Very dead. No spark activity." Knockout stood up.  
"Soundwave: Detects no thought patterns." Soundwave confirmed as well.

"Lets end this farce of a war," Cas said, helping Shockwave up.

Starscream rolled a glob of mechfluid in his intake and spat on the prone form. "Soundwave, contact the Autobots. Give them our terms of surrender."

"Soundwave: Will send surrender." "Good."

Knockout helped Cas get Shockwave to the medbay while Breakdown and Starscream carted Megatron's chassis away.

Cas immediately went to work, clearly well versed into medicine.

Starscream couldn't help the proud smile on his faceplates as he watched Cas finishing Shockwave's repairs.

"I see that look, herr commandant."

Starscream flicked his wings and looked over at Knockout. "And, Doctor?"

"Strange considering he's a stranger."

"...It's no great secret anymore, now that no one can use it against me." Starscream hummed turning entirely to the doctor. "That beautiful triple changer... Is my son."

"Truly? I see where he gets his beauty."

Starscream rattled a wing briefly and the doctor chuckled. "Nothing compared to my own Breakdown, Herr Commandant, be sure. But I do have optics."  
"Hmph. He is beautiful." Starscream turned back. "But don't speak to him about this. He resents me."

"Whatever for?" "For the choice I made."

"Is a choice really a choice when a Fusion cannon is leveled at you?" Knockout crossed his arms.

"An argument for another day, Knockout. For now... Let me enjoy this."

Shockwave and Cas seemed to almost slipping into place with each other with an ease to envied.

The Autobots answered Soundwave's signal soon enough and Starscream received the Prime on the command deck. Something in his spark twisted every time he thought that they would have to work with - probably spark with - Autobots. Frame thieves, who'd denied him and his son the life they should have had, had even denied his mate the funeral rites which he'd been entitled to. He had a deep dislike of them all that would have to be expunged.

Today, however, when Optimus landed a spark call reached him, one he never thought he'd hear again.

Starscream turned around, optics raking the command deck. Optimus had come alone.

That call, that spark frequency... it was all Orion's... but how?

"Soundwave. Knockout. Leave us." Starscream dismissed the two mechs, trying to hold his composure as the Prime approached.

They left, and Optimus seemed content to let him make the first movie.

Starscream held his silence for a long moment, thinking, and keeping his arms crossed firmly on his cockpit. "...If this is a trick, a manipulation tactic, or your idea of a joke, it's a cruel one." He stated finally.

"It's not. I admit I'd like to hear you be my alarm clock again. Waking to the Aria of the Sun is much nicer than an actual alarm clock."

Starscream's wings flared upright, his optics brightened, and his intake dropped open. "How? I saw... I saw you die. I held you in my arms as you perished."

"Sentinel. He built this frame and gave it my spark. He hard-wiped my processor, but the Matrix restored my memories."

"You never said anything."  
"I tried to call to you, but you weren't answering."  
"I couldn't hear you. Not on a spark level."

"I realized that eventually, but I didn't think you'd believe me without a spark call."

Starscream shuttered his optics. "Maybe I wouldn't have. But I would like to have been told anyway."

"I'm sorry, Starbaby."

Starscream felt optical lubricant gathering behind his shutters and didn't dare open his optics again as he heard the loud footsteps of a Prime approaching.

Strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him close to the warm frame.

He sounded like Orion - Larger, deeper - but his spark had the same beat. Starscream pressed an audial to his chassis and listened. The lubricant mixed with clarified energon began to spill down his cheekplates and his vents hitched on sobs he didn't want to let loose.

"Let it out." Optimus sounded like he was in the same boat.

Starscream felt a gentle touch on his chin and opened his optics, meeting blue, both swimming in overflowing liquid.

"I've missed you, my songbird."

Starscream pushed off the catwalk, throwing his arms around Orion's neck and pulling himself close. "I missed you more, mudpounder." Strong arms held him in place. "...There's someone you have to meet."

"Oh? Who?" "... Our son."

Optimus stilled for a long moment, lipplates open and speechless for once. "We have a son?"

The Seeker nodded. "Yes. He was the neutral in the pod."

"Did Megatron... Mistreat him?" Optimus asked.  
"Do you think I would allow that? He never laid a digit on him. Come on!" Starscream untangled his arms and led Optimus along.

Cas was just finishing up with Shockwave when they came in. "I thought the Autobots had their own medic," Cas said.

"No one needs your skills, Cas, but we do need to speak to you." Starscream gestured at the doctor's office.

"All right. You're all set, Shockwave." He followed the older mechs into the office.

"What do you two need?" He asked, crossing his arms, and he looked so much like Starscream that it almost ached in Orion's chassis.  
Optimus opened his mask. "Casarasi of Iacon?"

"Yeah. What's it to you, Prime?"

"There is no easy way to say this." Optimus drank in the sight of his sparkling. "My name, before I was a prime, was Orion Pax of Iacon. An archivist, Nightwish's bondmate, and your Creator."

There was silence for a long moment, then Cas growled. "Of course. Why the frag not? The whole family had a side or not in this wretched war. ... It was better believing my creators dead and gone."

"Orion died before I even had a chance to tell him! It's not his fault!" Starscream defended.

"But you both still stand here, wearing those Primus forsaken brands!"

"And if it weren't for that Primus-damned brand, he wouldn't be standing here at all!"  
Optimus set a servo on Starscream's shoulder. "If the badge truly disturbs you, Casarasi, then I will gladly cast it aside - it does not matter any longer."

"That doesn't change anything. It doesn't change the fact that the Autobots are just as guilty as the Decepticons, just for different crimes." "Casarasi-" "When the Decepticons attacked Neutrals where were the Autobots? The ones who claimed to fight to bring back peace?! When the Liberty was destroyed, where were they?! Using our slaughter to take back territory!"

"That is not true. Or rather, not the whole truth. The Autobots could not intervene to save the neutrals because we were pinned down in the straits outside of Kaon." Optimus's optics flashed in a bit of anger. "When we broke through, we took the quadrant, yes, but it was not our primary goal."

"Maybe one I can forgive you, but not anytime soon."

Optimus shuttered his optics and squeezed Starscream's shoulder. "I can accept that. Knowing you are alive is enough." They left Cas to his own.

Shockwave was waiting when Cas emerged from the office.

"You are disturbed." Shockwave noted at once. "Is something wrong?"

"... Primus is having a laugh at my expense."

"He often does." Shockwave took the statement in stride. "What is the joke today?"

"The Creators I thought were dead, my Creator before I was born and my Carrier when the Liberty was destroyed... are alive, and not just alive, on two separate factions of this Primus-damned war, but it get better! Optimus Prime and Starscream. Ain't that just a kick in the face for me, right?"

Shockwave considered for a long moment. "Your feelings are valid, Cas, but not logical."

"That's why they're 'feelings' and not logic, Shockwave."

"I will not dispute that." Shockwave touched his repaired face with one servo, testing the feel of his old features. "And I grant that you have a right to feel as you do. But there are too few of us to remain enraged at each other. We need to work together, and resenting the leaders of our factions will not help."

"You think I don't know that?! I can't help how I feel."

Shockwave paused and considered, then put his arm around Cas. "...Then I will sit with you until you feel better."

The Triple hesitated for a moment then leaned into him. "Thanks, handsome."

"Anytime." Shockwave's optic cheerily narrowed.

Peace slowly settled over the surviving Cybertronians. Brands were removed and replaced with NEST brands. They were devoted now to defending their new home, Earth, alongside the humans. Cas slowly came to forgive his parents.

"C'mere, Redwave." Starscream lifted up his oldest grandsparkling. "Look at you." He cooed. "Look at your pretty optics."

Optimus had the twins, Stormdancer and Windsong, climbing on him nearby. Cas and Shockwave had gone out for a drive, so the sparklings were with their grandcreators to give their parents a break. "So much blackmail right now," came Lennox's voice.

"You assume I am ashamed of my affection for my children and grandchildren, Colonel." Starscream told the human, more Optimus's friend than his. "You assume wrong."

The Colonel grinned up at him. The twins spotted their favorite human and clambered down to him, squeaking and squealing. They weren't quite talking yet, but they would be soon.

"Hey cuties. I brought the green dot." Lennox pulled out his high-power laserlight. "Who wants to play?"

They squealed happily and began chasing the dot. Redwave squirmed, wanting to play with his brother and sister. "Down!" "Down what?" Starscream asked. "... Down pease?"

"Very well." Starscream set the child on his pedes and Redwave went after his siblings, hopping as fast as he could.

Lennox grinned. "Best part of my job ever."

He swept the green dot over to Optimus's chassis to make the grandsparklings climb him.

The Prime laughed and made sure none of them fell then cuddled them, nuzzling each little helm. "I got you!" They all giggled and nuzzled back before scampering back after the dot. Starscream chuckled as he watched. He could hardly wait for his new sparklet to be born. Cas and Shockwave were content for now with their three, not to mention they felt with how young they were a new sparkling would be too much work at the moment for them.

Starscream couldn't help but agree, but with Shockwave and Ratchet working together on reviving Cybertron, he knew they would have a real home of their own for their children, and a secure one at that. Though it would be hard for the Autobots to leave Earth, it was a long way off.

For now Earth was home, and they would enjoy it along with their human friends. Lennox was swarmed and getting kitten-gentle nuzzles from the sparklings. He was definitely the favorite human all right.

Two transformation cogs triggered outside and Cas and Shockwave walked in. "Have a good drive?"

"We did, thank you. How were the bitlets, Carrier?" Cas asked. "Little angels." Lennox grinned up at him from the middle of the sparklings. "Having fun, Lennox?" "Best. Part. Of. My. Job. Ever."

"And you do it so well." Shockwave smiled and lifted Redwave out of the swarm.

"Cweator!" he squealed.

"My darling child." Shockwave cuddled his Seekerlet close.

Cas picked up the twins and cuddled them. "Come on, bedtime."

They nuzzled their carrier. "Okay." Stormdancer yawned.

They nuzzled their carrier. "Okay." Redwave yawned. Cas and Shockwave carried them off, and Starscream leaned against Optimus, soaking in the peace.


End file.
